‘Wrong Minister’

“I gave no one any project, anywhere. Wrong Minister,” Hamilton told
www.aroundtheregions.com concerning the brouhaha linking him to the contract controversy.
Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine and City Councillor, Heston Bostwick alleged that Hamilton
issued a contract for clearing 15 blocks in Albouystown, a depressed city neighbourhood, to a
known Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) supporter ending the unwritten rule that
residents will be awarded the cleaning and maintenance contract.
Bostwick maintained that East Bank Demerara resident, Annie Thorne, disclosed being
instructed by Minister Hamilton to clean the Sussex Street canal. Thorne revealed Hamilton and
Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, had full knowledge of her controversial contract.
Thorne, according to Bostwick, had 10 labourers executing the clearing task but, in the process,
littered the parapet with the junk “leaving the place in a mess”.
www.aroundtheregions.com was able to verify this aspect of Bostwick’s story.
“This is what the government has been doing from December to now. Over the years, from 1997,
I took the initiative and mobilised the community to start weeding and cleaning the drains out of
self-help as I was the community leader then. The Government then saw the initiative and started
giving out contracts to members of the community at $10,500 per person per block then for a
crew of 10.”

“This meant that every individual in each crew would get $10,500 each. The government
collaborated with the community and we continued and we made annually to the extent where
(Vice President Bharrat) Jagdeo pledged that once a year his government will clean the
community. After this pledge they were doing it for several years,” the opposition A Partnership
for National Unity (APNU) Councillor recalled.
The initiative maintained this approach until 2018 but from December 2020 “when a
discriminatory and victimising approach was taken” sidelining competent and very
knowledgeable residents.
“I recognized that from December of last year they just barged into the community where they
brought people that they awarded contracts. People don’t know the route of the community but
they put them to do work in the community. I don’t think that it is fair because we had an
understanding with all the ministries that they would adopt the principle that once there is work
of such nature the residents of the community who are capable of doing those jobs through the
Councillors who will mobilise the various contractors and have the job done,” Bostwick
explained.
“The last time when Minister (of Local Government and Community Development, Nigel)
Dharamlall was in the community and I pointed out to him that all the drains in Albouystown are
concrete drains so when they are desilting, we need to see the bottom of the drains. In so doing,
in any down pour the water will easily recede. He said to me that it’s just to put some money in
dem pockets. He is on record saying this to us,” Bostwick said.
He said Dharamlall’s disclosures were made in the presence of media operatives.